From ERP to DEO; How AI and Hyperscale Cloud Are Fueling the Next Wave of Business Architecture
As the capabilities of enterprise technology continue to accelerate—driven by cloud computing at hyperscale and the rapid maturation of artificial intelligence (AI)—the question facing business and IT leaders isn’t if change is coming, but how fast they need to act. The transition from traditional ERP to what I call the Digital Enterprise Operations model (DEO) […]
The State of Digital Transformation in Europe: A View from the Ground
If you’re leading a digital transformation in Europe right now, you’re under pressure from every direction: vendors pushing cloud, boards pushing cost control, regulators pushing new obligations, and the market pushing speed. I spend most of my time inside that tension, working with private equity-backed groups, multinationals, and mid-market firms across the UK and EU, […]
Digital Transformation in Europe: Why the Rest of the World Should Be Paying Attention
If you’re leading a digital transformation in 2025, you should be watching Europe. Even if you’re not based there, what’s happening across the EU and UK right now is shaping how big tech will behave, how cloud will be regulated, and how organizations will think about risk, modernization, and control over the next few years. […]
How Amazon Actually Delivers Fast, Cheap, and at Scale(And What the Rest of Us Can Learn)
If you’ve ever ordered something from Amazon at 10pm and had it show up on your porch the next afternoon for basically nothing, you’ve probably had the same thought everyone else does:“How is that even possible?” It’s easy to assume it’s just volume and money. But Amazon’s speed and cost advantage isn’t just about size. […]
Why the “Agent Washing” Surge in ERP AI Is Worse Than You Think
Agentic AI is suddenly everywhere. Tools that looked like helpful assistants last year are being rebranded as “autonomous agents” that do the work for you, not just suggest the next step. The problem is a growing wave of agent washing, old tech in shiny new wrappers, marketed as far more capable than it really is. […]
Long Live ECC? Rethinking the Rush to SAP S/4HANA
If you’re running SAP today, you’re likely feeling the heat to move from SAP ECC (ERP Central Component) to SAP S/4HANA. Deadlines, “clean core” promises, and shiny AI storylines make the upgrade sound inevitable. Not so fast. I’m not here to tell you never to move. I am here to make the case that, for […]
How to Spot (and Fix) a Failing Digital Transformation
Here’s the hard truth: most digital transformations wobble, and many fall. Across studies you’ll see the same pattern, roughly 70% of large-scale change efforts miss their goals, only 20–30% hit full business value, and over half run late or over budget. ERP programs are no exception: independent benchmarks routinely show fewer than one-third deliver on-time, […]
Why Your Project Needs a Check-Up Before It Breaks Down
If you’ve ever gone through a major digital transformation or ERP implementation, you know that things rarely go exactly as planned. According to McKinsey, nearly 70% of large-scale transformation initiatives fail to achieve their intended outcomes, often due to poor planning, weak governance, and a lack of alignment between business and technology teams. That statistic […]
Boomi and the Shift to Composable ERP: What It Is, Where It Fits, and What to Watch
When clients ask whether to double-down on a single, monolithic ERP or move toward a more composable, best-of-breed architecture, the next question is almost always: “How do we connect it all?” That’s where Boomi often enters the conversation. As an integration platform as a service (iPaaS), Boomi aims to be the connective tissue between your […]
Why Your Software Proposal Is (Probably) Wrong, And How to Fix It
If you’re evaluating ERP or enterprise software proposals as part of a digital transformation, I can almost guarantee the numbers in front of you are off. Not because vendors are incompetent, or even necessarily dishonest, but because proposals are built on best-case assumptions, a narrow scope, and sales incentives that don’t align with your risk. […]
Why Employees Always Resist Change (and What to Do About It)
Every transformation I’ve led or advised, ERP, AI, operating model, you name it, has one constant: employees resist change. Not because they’re saboteurs or anti-progress, but because the way we introduce change collides with how people find value, certainty, and purpose at work. If you want your program to land, plan for the resistance you […]
Is SAP on a Blockbuster/BlackBerry Path?
What do SAP, Blockbuster Video, and the BlackBerry have in common? Potentially more than you think. I started my career as an SAP consultant in the late 1990s, and my team still supports clients on SAP today. From that vantage point, I’m seeing strategic patterns that look uncomfortably similar to what took down once-dominant brands. […]